THE Federal Government has announced a direct assistance of N200 million to Lagos State government, to enable it to successfully curtail the spread of Ebola virus disease in the state.

Government had recently set aside the sum of N1.9 billion for the 36 states of the federation to combat the disease, following its importation into the country by the index case patient, the Liberian-American, the late Patrick Sawyer.

Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Villa, on Wednesday.

Chukwu, who briefed FEC on the progress of the move to halt the disease in the country, assured that comprehensive efforts had been deployed to eliminate the virus with the support of the president.

He said as of Wednesday, Nigeria had a total number of 12 cases of Ebola, which include the index case, adding that out of the 12, the the total number of successful cases stood at five and the total number of dead is also five.

Speaking on the death of Dr Ameyo Adadevoh, who handled the index case, the minister regretted that she succumbed to Ebola.

“Indeed, she had to physically restrain this infected person (Sawyer) from escaping from hospital when the latter attempted to do so, having been communicated that he was Ebola positive.

“If that index case had escaped hospital at that stage, it would have spelt disaster for Nigeria, as many more persons who would have been very difficult to track could have become primary contacts.

“There is no doubt that Dr Adadevoh was not only a dedicated, committed and competent doctor, but she showed rare courage, rare sense of duty, service and patriotism to her country,” the minister said.

He revealed that he had met with the family of the late doctor in Lagos and had been able to clear the misconceptions which followed her treatment in isolation.

The minister pointed out that Ebola survivors did not pose any danger to the society and, therefore, advised against stigmatisation.

Meanwhile, Mr Atedo Peterside, through his foundation, has donated N100,000 per bed per day to Ebola affected private hospitals in the country.

Signs of virus in Congo

THE Democratic Republic of Congo is investigating potential evidence of the Ebola virus in the country, a sign that the deadly illness may have spread to a fifth country.

Congo’s health minister and a team of experts were sent to a northern province, after a group of locals died from a sickness that resembled Ebola, sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

If confirmed as Ebola, the presence of the virus in Congo could open a new hot spot for an illness that had already killed more than 1,200 West Africans in its latest outbreak.

The World Health Organisation and its United States (US) partners had struggled so far to contain the virus in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

A spokesman for the governor of Congo’s Equateur province told Reuters he could not confirm that the deaths were from Ebola.

A local resident said about 10 people had died after experiencing flu-like symptoms and bleeding from the face.

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